Wilcox doesn't look back after 5K's close start

Steve Wilcox pulled away from Forerunners teammate Jim Burgasser and the Stetson Law Day 5K field just after the 1.5-mile point on the Gulfport course.

Wilcox recorded a victory in the Sept. 29 race with a time of 16 minutes, 42 seconds. Burgasser finished 7 seconds back, followed by Brian Scott of Seminole in 17 minutes. "We were neck-and-neck for about half the race," said Wilcox, 30, a former Florida State runner. "I knew Jim was breathing down my neck, but I try to never look back."

Wilcox was impressed with the post-race activities.

"Ginger Herring puts on a great event with a pancake breakfast and awards presented accurately and in a timely manner," he said of the race director.

Amelia Griffith of Tampa took the women's title in the Gulfport 5K in 19:15. Trailing her were Carol Glasscock (19:22) of St. Pete Beach and Lisa Valentine, 40, of Tierra Verde in 20:08.

The following week, Wilcox and Burgasser ventured to Bradenton for the Race Against Stigma 10K. They finished 1-2 again, with Wilcox posting a 35:47 for the win.

RECAPS: In the Chicago Marathon, Dan Ecker of the Forerunners Club broke the 2 hour, 40 minute barrier with a 2:39:58 effort. Last year, he ran a 2:47:34. "All my training this past year paid off," Ecker said.

The women's world record fell to Kenya's Catherine Ndereba, 2:18:47. Joan Benoit Samuelson owns the American record (2:21:21), which was set in 1985 in Chicago.

At the Twin Cities Marathon on Oct. 7, Denise Skinner of the WFYRC ran 3:19:48 for third-place prize money in the masters national championship. Eddie Hellebuyck, 40, of New Mexico won the masters title in 2:21:20. Part-time Clearwater resident Steve Wilson was second, 2:29:08.

Fran Gaberino and Jerry Napp of the WFYRC finished together (4:33:20) in the St. George (Utah) Marathon. Palm Harbor's Barb Cote clocked in at 3:36:58 for ninth place among women 45-49.

In the recent hilly Rattlesnake Run 5-miler in San Antonio, Tim Unger of Tallahassee won in a field of 225 in 28:35.

He was followed by Burgasser (28:44) and Victor Yeager (29:49), the masters division winner. James O'Berry of St. Petersburg won the boys 14-and-under division in 32:52.

Sheila Dobbs, 43, of Northern Ireland captured the title in the women's division with a 31:23 showing.

Dobbs won the Race For The Coast 10K at Fort De Soto Park. She was followed by Laure Blume and Kathy Kaye. Brian Scott won the men's division by 11 seconds over Burgasser. Orlando's David Meri was third.

At Saturday's Keswick Classic 5K, the winners were Eric Milholland, the assistant cross country coach at Seminole High School, and Kit Van Allan of Palm Harbor. Tanner Tidwell, a junior at Keswick, was the runner-up in a field of about 130.

In the Disney Classic 10K at Lake Buena Vista, Liane Rae of Belleair came from behind to capture the women's title in a personal record 37:06. She placed 10th in a field of 1,320.